


tell you my intentions, do the things that I mentioned

by jasminetea



Series: Not So Casual Encounters [2]
Category: The Old Guard (Movie 2020)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Modern: No Powers, Canon Queer Character, Canon Queer Character of Color, Canon Queer Relationship, Confident Nicky | Nicola di Genova, Joe is seduced with his own moves, M/M, Nicky | Nicolo di Genova in makeup, Non-Penetrative Sex, Oh No He's Hot, Second Chances, Second Time, let Joe have his back blown out
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-11-05
Updated: 2020-11-05
Packaged: 2021-03-08 23:48:58
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,336
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27395245
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jasminetea/pseuds/jasminetea
Summary: Seven years later, Joe is swept off his feet by an older, and more confident, Nicky.Featuring: Joe collecting on good orgasm karma, Nicky in edible body glitter, and the beginning of a relationship.“I know a little about that, being wanted for the fantasy.  I like wearing makeup now and then, but people expect it means I’m always soft and kind – feminine I suppose, waiting to be ruined under their touch.”“And sometimes you just want to wear makeup and ruin a hot guy?”Nicky squeezes Joe’s hand. “Exactly.”
Relationships: Joe | Yusuf Al-Kaysani/Nicky | Nicolò di Genova
Series: Not So Casual Encounters [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1987462
Comments: 41
Kudos: 249





	tell you my intentions, do the things that I mentioned

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be short, but then it wanted to be more romance-y and grew. XD Thanks to the folks who gif’d Luca as Roberta in The Last Man on Earth, and the 18+ Discord ([Disaster Immortals](https://discord.gg/qaSz7fp8)) for cheerleading. Title from Ayoni’s Too Good.
> 
> The playlist for this and Come Be Satisfied:  
> 
> 
> * Linda Diaz’s [Honesty (NPR Tiny Desk Home Concert)](https://youtu.be/MYiP0WO6yzA?t=712)  
> 
> * Chloe x Halle’s [Ungodly Hour (Live at the VMAs)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OwZ_hodT5CA)  
> 
> * Janet Jackson’s [That’s the Way Love Goes](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2b_KfAGiglc)  
> 
> * corto.alto’s [Lysithea](https://cortoalto.bandcamp.com/track/lysithea-2)  
> 
> * Harry Styles’ [Adore You (NPR Tiny Desk Concert)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jIIuzB11dsA&t=919s)  
> 
> * Ayoni’s [Too Good (Rihanna cover)](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iaNH6QD10sE)

When Nile is honorably discharged from the Marines, Nicky decides to take her mind off of things by going dancing. She’s always loved dressing up, dancing, and finding someone to kiss, so they plan on going to his favorite spot. Tonight, her outfit is a gold sequined halter dress that looks like she bathed in sunlight.

Nicky is more subtle about his glitter. Even though he doesn’t usually like tightly fitting clothes, Nile convinces him to wear skinny jeans and a fitted v-neck that looks like a crop top when he lifts his arms. In exchange, he goes through her makeup – she’s always on top of new brands and products. She has a new liquid eyeliner and eyeshadow palette he’s been wanting to try, but he gets a lot of attention when he does that. Instead, he swipes on her expensive sheer lipstick, with just enough color and sparkle that draw the eye to his lips if you’re close enough. He also dusts all of his visible skin in her grapefruit-scented body glitter.

“This brand’s vegan and edible,” she notes, looking over his work with pride.

“I’m not looking to stand out. I’m _your_ wingman tonight.”

She rolls her eyes. “You wish. Maybe you’ll finally meet Prince Charming tonight.”

Nicky’s cheeks go hot. After Joe, he’d found plenty of people, mostly men, to go to bed with. And it’d been fun – he’d made sure to prioritize finding people he could laugh with – but none he’d wanted to go home to at the end of the day. Nile says he’s a romantic, and Nicky doesn’t think there’s anything wrong with that.

He knows the Joe in his memory is perfect by virtue of nostalgia, but what he remembers most about their afternoon together is how comfortable he was falling asleep tucked against Joe. He wants something like that, and nothing had seemed quite as right as waking up to Joe’s arms around his waist and a cloud of kisses.

They arrive at the converted car garage while the night is young. Near the entrance, there are various vendors, and further in there’s the food and booze. In the back, there’s a courtyard where the dancing happens, but the thumping bass hasn’t started yet. People are already crowding around the large U-shaped bar, but Nicky pulls Nile to the smaller bar off to the side. On Thursday nights, they run a discount on whatever new drink the bartender is still finagling. Plus, Nicky’s been wanting to try to the Middle Eastern pop-up booth next to it.

While Nicky eyes the menu and talks to the cashier about it, Nile looks around the room. Leaning in close to Nicky, she mentions, “There’s someone at the bigger bar you’d like I think. He’s your type.” She mercilessly teases him about how he’s like a baby bird that impressed on the first man he had sex with.

Because despite the other people he’d been with, Nicky still has a weakness for men of color with wide smiles, kind eyes that promise care, and a hint of curl to their hair.

“I might’ve just had a type before Joe,” Nicky says as always.

“Thank me later,” Nile dryly states, and pushes him towards to bar. “You’ll know him when you see him. Text me if you decide to go home with him instead of me.”

For all her ribbing, Nile does have an eye for beauty. So he takes a peak, just for curiosity’s sake. Luck does favor people who are willing to meet it halfway after all.

As he gets closer to to the counter, he sees exactly who Nile had spotted, even if his back is to Nicky. He’s wearing a leather jacket and yes, his skin is cinnamon warm and his head full of springy curls that Nicky wants to sink his hands into. Nicky can tell he’s talking excitedly to his companion, a broad-shouldered man hunched just a little to make himself look smaller. Nicky begins to suspect Nile had ulterior motives in sending him here – this man looks exactly like the kind of man Nile likes.

Then the curly haired man turns his head, and even though his face is framed by a plush beard, Nicky _recognizes_ that crinkle of the eyes.

* * *

Catching up with Booker after all these years, Joe’s immensely happy he chose to move here. They haven’t lived in the same city for years; Booker because of his wife, and Joe because he kept moving for work. Andy and Quỳnh had drawn both of them to this city – Booker a few years back after his wife had passed, and Joe because he missed everyone.

As Joe relays a tale about repurposing a painting after he spilled coffee on it, a small smile tugs at the corner of Booker’s mouth. Joe’s happy to see it. There’d been a few years Booker hadn’t smiled at all.

While Booker flags the bartender for another mocktail, someone approaches them. Joe’s always happy to make new friends, so he looks up and –

Joe recognizes that small, quietly confident smile and the mole beside it.

Joe remembers the kid from seven years ago. If he’d just been a bit older, Joe would’ve taken Nicky up on a second date, but he was eighteen, and Joe about to leave town. He still thinks of him now and then; wonders what he grew up to be like.

He did not, however, imagine Nicky would be this good-looking. Nicky’s all grown up in his body hugging v-neck and snug jeans: shoulders broadened, body filled in with weight and muscle, hair grown long enough to brush his jaw. There are even tiny hoops in his ears that twinkle in the light. And most appealing of all, he radiates a serene surety, a comfortableness, with himself.

“Hi,” Nicky says, and even his voice has deepened. Joe just stares up at him, those eyes like the sea after a storm, and glitter across his skin like the stars spilled their radiance on him.

“Nicky!” Joe says dumbly.

Nicky shifts his weight and takes a breath, the only sign he might feel as strange as Joe does – what _does_ one say to a one night stand that had potential _,_ but was just too soon? – and asks, “Did you and your friend want to try the food? I was looking at the menu before, and the kale and cabbage kuku looks really good.”

Booker eyes the two of them. “Did I miss something?”

Joe looks to Nicky, not wanting to say anything out of line. Nicky merely states, “We met awhile ago.”

“A _while_ ago you say…” Booker says speculatively, clearly doing the math in his head. Then a sly look crosses his face. “Say, Joe, would this happen to be…”

“ _Booker,”_ Joe begins.

Then Nicky’s the one looking curiously at Booker. “ _That_ Booker?”

Booker groans and covers his face. “Joe you have gottta stop telling people about that _one_ time.”

“Are you withdrawing your reference?” Joe teases.

“The only thing I withdrew was my… never mind, I’m going to leave the two of you to it and go find someone else to talk with. Like say, the very beautiful woman across the room who is very clearly out of my league.” Grabbing his drink, Booker takes his leave.

“Are you free for dinner then?” Nicky says.

And Joe’s answer is easy. “Yes.”

* * *

Joe and Nicky sit at one of the two-top tables. The chairs are made for someone clearly smaller than them, so their knees keep knocking together, and eventually they rest their ankles against each other. The food is excellent – Nicky gets the kuku; Joe the grilled halloumi flatbread; and they share the carrot, halloumi, and dill balls. As they sample one another’s dishes, they exchange stories about what the past years have been like. Nicky had graduated college and put his theology degree (“Minor in comparative religions,” he says oddly shy, ducking back to the dill balls) to use by becoming a forensic accountant. Joe blinks at that.

“It’s a long story,” Nicky sighs. “But what about you? You were a teacher, yes?”

While Joe had enjoyed teaching art, he hadn’t enjoyed getting sick from being around small kids so much. He stopped and now translates literature and writes the occasional book review. He tells Nicky about his current project, a novel about a young woman who loves animals and how the government wants to weaponize the creatures under her care.

For dessert, they get the spiced chocolate mousse accompanied by a Stroopwafel. It goes without saying they’ll split it. Joe wonders if it’s poor form to try and feed Nicky again. And then, is it even _worse_ form to try and date the person you once took to bed when they were eighteen?

Nicky interrupts his brooding. Scooping the last of the mousse onto a piece of the Stroopwafel, he offers it to Joe. “Open up,” he says, eyes half lidded. Is Nicky… seducing Joe with Joe’s own moves? Joe takes the morsel from Nicky’s fingers, eyes focused on him the whole time. Nicky wipes the crumbs from Joe’s lips with his thumb. After he licks it clean, he reminds Joe, “I’m not eighteen anymore.”

“How did you know I was thinking it?” Joe inquires a little guiltily.

“Because I feel the same way now. Fucking someone younger than me for a night is fine, but dating them feels… wrong. Like I could easily be taking advantage without knowing.”

“Yes,” Joe exhales with relief.

“Back then, I did wish we were older. I wanted to know you better, but well…” Joe nods in understanding. Nicky grins, lit with enthusiasm. “But as fate would have it, here we are again. And luckily we are both older, and I am not as inexperienced either.”

“Are you saying you’re going to show _me_ a thing or two?” Joe feels he’s gone a bit dumb, but he can’t say it’s an unappealing feeling. He knows he’s a good lover, but usually he’s the one using words to seduce. It’s nice to be on the receiving end for a change.

“Well, there’s only one way to find out.” Nicky gets up and offers Joe his hand.

Joe is more than willing to give this a go and see if Nicky can melt all the thoughts out of his brain. So he takes his hand.

* * *

As they wait for their rideshare, Nicky texts Nile that he and Joe are going back to their place.

“She’s staying with me,” Nicky informs him. “She got injured and had to leave the military, and it’s hard for her to be with her family right now, even though she wants to.”

Joe nods. “We should introduce her to Andy and Quỳnh. They’re one of the main reasons I moved here. Andy was a mercenary and Quỳnh a hostage negotiator. But between you and me, I think they were international women of mystery.” The night air is cool and feels nice after the heat of the club. However, he uses it as an excuse to stand close to Nicky, who puts his arm around Joe’s waist. Joe shivers, and Nicky’s starts rubbing his side thinking him cold.

“Spies? Really?” Nicky asks.

“The one time I asked Andy, she said something in Russian. Totally a spy.” Joe’s gaze goes fond in the memory. “Then she and Quỳnh made cow eyes at each other, and Quỳnh made us watch _The Spy Who Loved Me_.”

“Totally spies,” Nicky agrees. “You know, you’ll have to give me your number if you want to make this introduction.”

“Very smooth.” Joe rattles the digits off, and then texts Booker that he’s leaving with Nicky.

They manage to avoid making out like teenagers during the ride to Nicky’s apartment, but their hands have minds of their own. Joe’s fingers dance up Nicky’s arm until Nicky links their hands together, squeezes, and then places Joe’s hand on Nicky’s thigh.

“I am not giving the driver a show,” Joe warns in Italian, but he starts massaging Nicky’s leg anyway.

Nicky just smiles and reaches up to rub the nape of Joe’s neck. “Oh that’s good,” Joe sighs, when Nicky finds a tense spot and his head lolls back. The devilish man then starts lightly pulling at his hair and scratching his scalp.

Once they’re finally in Nicky’s apartment, and their shoes are left by the door, Nicky steps right into Joe’s space. “Is now a good time to put on a show?” he asks.

“The only person I want to impress is right here,” Joe says honestly and then brings their mouths together, wanting to taste Nicky’s smile.

They kiss, and it’s wonderful, especially when Joe finds himself pressed between the wall and Nicky’s body. When Joe finally pulls away, it’s with regret, but he also wants to get to a bedroom.

“I’ve been wanting to do that for _years,”_ Nicky admits with great satisfaction.

Joe frowns. “To be clear, is this just a fantasy of yours?”

Nicky blinks. “No? Yes? I mean yes, I imagined what it’d be like to run into you again. But I know I’ve changed, and surely you have too. I want to know who you are now, and if we can fit together as we are now.”

Joe sighs in relief, pressing his forehead against Nicky. “That’s good. Sometimes people want the fantasy of me more than me. You know, the sweet-talking romantic, and not me at six am without coffee.”

Nicky takes his hands. “I like how passionate you are about the poetics of translation and how you strongly you feel the dill balls should’ve been deep fried and not pan fried. I want to hear more about why you’re looking forward to Maria Dahvana Headley’s _Beowulf_ and how you are impossibly this sweet.” Then he adds cheekily, “And I want to know what you look like, first thing in the morning, even if you are grumpy without coffee.”

It’s been a very long time since someone set about enchanting Joe with words, and Joe can already feel his thoughts growing soft and slow. “I can go on for awhile about those topics.”

“Good, plenty of date material.” They link and unlink their hands a few times, and then Nicky says, “I know a little about that, being wanted for the fantasy. I like wearing makeup now and then, but people expect it means I’m always soft and kind – feminine I suppose, waiting to be ruined under their touch.”

“And sometimes you just want to wear makeup and ruin a hot guy?”

Nicky squeezes his hand. “Exactly.”

When Nicky was eighteen, Joe saw hints of this confidence. Not many people would be so sure going to meet a stranger from the internet to be deflowered. Joe thought the budding confidence would either sour Nicky’s earnestness into arrogance, or grow into a wildly attractive self-assuredness. He’s thrilled to know it’s the latter. And while the confidence is appealing, so is this tender intimacy. There wasn’t room for this kind of talk when they first met. “So, does this mean I get to see your bedroom?”

Nicky’s eyes dance. “We didn’t get to a bed last time, did we?” He leads Joe to his room, throwing a blanket over the top of the bed.

“Planning to get messy?” Joe can already feel the arousal coiling up in his belly.

“Yes,” Nicky says seriously, and pulls both of them down onto a comforter that brings out the green in Nicky’s eyes.

Joe kisses to the hollow of Nicky’s throat. “You taste like grapefruit?” he says in surprise.

Nicky laughs. “It’s the body shimmer. Nile said it’s edible and vegan, although I haven’t tried it myself.” He takes a lick from Joe’s lips. “Huh, not bad.”

“How much skin did you dust?” Joe tugs the hem of his shirt, which Nicky takes off. If Joe recalls correctly, there was a spot on Nicky’s shoulder that… Nicky squirms, and Joe holds him still as drags his teeth over the sensitive spot.

“Leave a mark, please, Joe,” Nicky gasps. “Wanna remember this.”

So Joe latches onto Nicky’s neck, teasing him with wet kisses, sucking just a little bit, but not hard enough to bruise. Nicky makes little whines as he urges Joe to leave him a necklace of bruises.

“Are you sure?” Joe confirms. He doesn’t want to make it awkward for Nicky when he goes to work.

“That’s what concealer and scarves are for,” Nicky replies.

And when such a beautiful man asks, who is Joe to deny him? So he sets about marking both sides of Nicky’s neck, wringing lovely moans from him as he sucks long and hard. As Joe teases the delicate skin with the scrape of his teeth and beard, Nicky’s hands tighten on his arms.

Joe leans back to eye his work: Nicky’s neck is bright with bruises that will surely darken by tomorrow, his cheeks flushed, and mouth parted. “That was good. _You_ were very good,” Nicky praises, eyes blown wide. As Nicky hums happily, fingering his neck; Joe licks his way down Nicky’s torso, nosing at his happy trail.

“You don’t taste like grapefruit here,” Joe murmurs. Nuzzling the waistband of Nicky’s jeans, he asks, “Can I taste you here too?” Joe loves coaxing an uncircumcised penis from its foreskin.

Nicky closes his eyes regretfully. “Next time. Right now, I want to make you come so hard you don’t know which language you’re thinking in.” His hands reach for Joe’s ass.

Joe wants that with every beat of his heart, but there’s one thing. “I would love to let you top me whether you’ve painted your mouth as red as desire or your skin is as naked as the new moon, but… I wasn’t expecting to meet anyone tonight, otherwise I wouldn’t have eaten Taco Bell for lunch.”

Nicky roars with laughter. “I’m not afraid of messy.” Joe’s eyebrow lifts in question. Nicky shrugs. “I like messy in general. Besides, don’t do anal if you’re afraid of a little shit. And while I don’t think there’s a part of you that I wouldn’t love, I can tell you’re uncomfortable.” He presses a kiss to Joe’s cheek.

“It seems… intimate for a first date,” Joe admits.

“Second date,” Nicky corrects. “I’m fine bottoming, but honestly I want to touch you now, and not wait. In any case,” he grins wickedly, “there’s more than one way to top. How do you feel about me being in charge?”

“I agree,” Joe says very quickly.

Nicky’s gaze sharpens. “My darling poet, my good boy.” Joe’s dick twitches, and he’s not embarrassed at how ragged his breathing becomes. “Oh, it’s like _that_ is it…” he purrs.

After some quick rearranging, Joe’s back is slightly propped on the pillows, and Nicky’s between his spread legs.

“What kind of man has so many pillows? Wait, is this a sex pillow?” Joe adds holding up a firm wedge-shaped pillow.

Nicky finds a hairtie from somewhere and scrapes his hair back into a small ponytail. “The kind of man who enjoys being comfortable when having sex. And yes, it is. Now lie back, I want you to enjoy the view.” And the man has the nerve to wink as he settles between Joe’s thighs.

Joe’s clothes are eagerly discarded, and then Nicky takes Joe’s pulsing length in his hand. “Oh, _yes_ ,” Nicky says, and the look he’s giving Joe’s dick is one that said he’s won the best prize possible and it’s all his. “I know you’re very into safe sex, but please tell me you’ve recently been tested, because I’ve wanted to know what you’ve tasted like since I was eighteen.” Gripping the base of his cock, he rubs his cheek against it, like a cat making its claim. Joe has the wild thought his dick is about to be coated in body shimmer too.

“Yes,” Joe pants. “You?” It’s a testament to good habit that he remembers to ask, given the amount of blood going to his cock.

“Yes,” Nicky replies. “Do you want to see the results?”

“No, that can wait!”

“Your trust is humbling, now where was I… Oh yes, wondering if I can deepthroat you.”

“Fuck, Nicky, you can’t just _say…_ ” his words are sharply cut off when Nicky decides to find out.

“Not yet,” Nicky says to himself, “but I think I can if we’re patient.”

Joe swears. “Less talking, more of your mouth. _Please_.” If Nicky keeps running his mouth, Joe might not last much longer. Once Nicky starts applying the wet heat of his mouth, and his fingers massage his balls, Joe can’t help rocking into him. He even swears in Arabic as Nicky presses against his perineum.

Just as Joe starts to whimper how close he is, Nicky lets him go with a wet pop. Joe reaches down to finish himself, but Nicky grabs his wrist.

“Wait. I promised to make you forget which language you’re using, right? And I keep my promises.” Joe would be normally be skeptical, but perhaps now is the time to collect on his good orgasm karma.

Nicky’s fingers skate lightly against Joe’s thighs, almost tickling him, and Joe goosebumps. “The things I could do to these thighs,” he rumbles. He offers to nibble, lick, and suck, matching deed to word. As he devotes himself to Joe’s thighs, he locks his gaze to Joe’s. Nicky’s right – the view is excellent, and it takes all of Joe’s self-restraint not to touch himself.

“You’re so beautiful laid out in my bed like this,” Nicky says, and then quickly undresses. Joe makes a sound of protest, but Nicky dips in for a kiss. “You can unwrap me slowly next time, Joe.” And the promise is enough to let Joe relax back into the comfortable bed.

Nicky quickly opens the nightstand and comes back with massage oil.

“Is that edible too?” Joe jokes.

“I can always grab the extra virgin olive oil,” he deadpans. As Joe laughs, Nicky slides next to him on the bed. Popping the cap, he squeezes a generous amount onto Joe’s thighs. It’s cold, but Nicky’s hands quickly warm it up, and Joe spreads his legs. Nicky noses at his balls, inhaling deeply. He gives Joe’s aching cock a quick lick and then nudges him onto his side. “The things I want to do to this ass,” he murmurs, tracing the stretchmarks lightly. Joe trembles. “Another time though.” Nicky gently presses his lips to them, bites, and then shimmies up the bed.

When Nicky presses against him, hips a little too low to spoon, Joe knows exactly where this is going, and he has no complaints. He parts his legs, and Nicky takes the invitation, sliding his dick between them. Joe sighs, and reaches for Nicky’s arm, pulling it over him. But Nicky has other plans, whispering obscenities as he jerks him off. All Joe can do is grab at whatever part of Nicky he can reach.

“Jesus, your thighs. So soft, and wet, you’re fucking perfect Joe.” His teeth drag along Joe’s spine.

Joe’s staring at the knickknacks on Nicky’s nightstand: reading glasses, Chapstick, pens, an actual clock, and a paperback with an orange bookmark sticking out. Normally, Joe would ask what he’s reading, but right now he only wants one thing. “I want to see your face, Nicky, _please.”_

“Begging me for what you want is… _yes_.” Nicky groans against his back, damp with sweat. “Whatever you want, you stupid perfect man.”

He flips Joe so he’s facing him. It takes them a moment to find their rhythm again, but after some wriggling and a couple of giggles at the repositioning, they manage. As Nicky fucks Joe’s thighs, Joe’s cock bounces against his belly, and it’s so close to what he wants, but not enough. One of Nicky’s hands grips his hip hard enough Joe hopes it bruises, pulling him close, as if just inhaling is too far away. And then, Joe’s dick finally gets some friction against Nicky’s belly and it’s beautiful and exactly what he wants.

As Nicky takes his pleasure, Joe can’t help but beg. “Nicky, please, I – _ah!_ – _please_ , oh, _please._ ”

“You’re so _loud_ ,” Nicky says in awe as Joe lets out a long moan. His hand slides around Joe’s throat, thumb rubbing his Adam’s apple.

Joe wants to close his eyes, focus on Nicky’s hold – warm against his throat with every breath – and the orgasm winding up tightly in his balls. But he also wants so badly to watch Nicky’s face awash with pleasure. Nicky stares at him intently, and the contact makes Joe squirm.

“Keep looking at me, Joe. You wanted to see my face? Watch what you do to me; watch me cum between your legs.”

So Joe does exactly that: he watches, rapt, as Nicky thrusts one last time, cheeks washed with color, and his eyes fluttering close as he spills against Joe’s thighs. And when Nicky rolls Joe’s nipple between his fingers, Joe’s orgasm swells up in him, balls drawing tight as he jets hot and strong against their chests.

Nicky’s plasters himself against Joe, not minding the cum, holding him tightly. “You were so amazing,” he gushes and presses kiss after kiss against Joe’s hair and brow. Joe lets himself bask in it, then takes Nicky’s mouth in a lazy kiss.

“Gotta clean up,” Joe says ruefully, not wanting to be stuck together.

“Mm,” Nicky sighs. “I’ve probably sweated off a lot of the glitter, and you have some on you now.” His fingers rub a spot on Joe’s chest, then sucks it. “I’d offer to lick you clean,” Joe’s dick gives a valiant effort at a second erection, “but we should show each other our test results first.”

“Wow, you really do like messy.”

“Oh yes.” And the dreamy look on his face gives Joe ideas.

The blanket they’re on is large, and Nicky wipes them off with it, taking great delight in parting Joe’s legs one last time.

“How is this blanket not grossly wet?” Joe muses.

“It’s a sex blanket.”

Joe snorts. “Of course,” but he still pulls it from Nicky and tosses it to the floor. It’s the principle of the thing; fancy blanket or not, a wet blanket does not belong on a bed.

After they use the bathroom, and Nicky nestles himself under Joe’s arms, he asks, “How was it for you?”

“Mmm,” is all Joe says.

Nicky nuzzles against his neck. “That good huh?”

“Yes. And you?” Joe runs his fingertips up the seam of Nicky’s ribs.

“Well, you were begging very prettily in a language I didn’t know. So I say it went very well.” Joe guesses he lapsed into Arabic; he tends to when it involves intimacy. Not wanting to scare Nicky off, he refrains from offering to teach Nicky the basics. Nicky begins idly rubbing Joe’s chest. “And I’m glad I was able to return the favor. You know, you did good before. I had a great first time, and not everyone can say that. I always knew to ask for more and better because of you. I accepted nothing less.”

Joe’s eyes soften, and Nicky presses a kiss to his eyelids.

“Well I certainly reaped the benefits of your expertise,” Joe replies, still mellow from the spine-melting orgasm. “And I was right, you and your confidence grew up to be very, very attractive.”

Nicky’s eyes sparkle and he rains kisses on Joe: the corner of his eyes, then the corner of his mouth, sprinkling kisses everywhere until Joe finally melts into the bed when at last Nicky kisses his mouth.

“C’mon, let’s get under the blankets now.”

“I should go?” Joe says, but it comes out more like a question.

“Will you turn into a pumpkin Cinderella? It’s already past midnight.”

“Well, no.” He just doesn’t want to project his own romanticism onto someone who could just be sowing wild oats with an old flame.

“Do you want to stay?” Nicky asks.

“Nile won’t mind?”

“Eh, she might not come back, if the way she was looking at Booker indicated anything.”

“Oh! Well, I wouldn’t want to intrude on her breaking Booker’s dry spell.”

“You’ll just have to stay until morning then. The bathroom floor is heated you know.”

“Oh, I’m definitely staying then.” Joe settles back into the bed and is rewarded with more petting.

Nicky bites his lip, and Joe recognizes that tell. “I don’t want to ruin the afterglow, but I’m not looking for a casual, one night thing.”

Joe’s a firm believer in honesty. “How fortunate, then, I am older now and looking for something serious. So, I’ll still be here in the morning. And after that too, if you’ll have me.”

Nicky’s smile lights his face, and Joe’s heart kicks in his chest. Nicky leans close, “In that case, you can also call me Nicolò.”

“Nicolò,” Joe repeats. “Then you call me Yusuf too.”

As they climb beneath the blankets, Joe curls his body around Nicky. Nicky gives a flirtatious wiggle of his hips, and then pulls Joe’s arm around him, holding it tight. Joe’s heart gives another little flip.

Joe nuzzles into the back of his neck, and Nicky sighs contentedly. Wanting the moment to last, both of them are hesitant to fall asleep. But once once Nicky turns off the light, sleep falls upon them like night’s velvet curtain.

* * *

Joe wakes the next morning to a sunbeam square on his face. The warmth is nice, but it’s too early for the sun. He’s tempted to hide his face in the pillow until he realizes he’s smelling breakfast and coffee. Blearily opening his eyes, he sees Nicky standing in the doorway with two steaming mugs in hand.

“I think you might be Sleeping Beauty and not Cinderella after all,” Nicky teases.

“As long as I’m still a princess and animals love me,” Joe mumbles back.

Nicky snorts, and sets the mugs onto the coasters he brought with him. He sits on the edge of the bed and touches his fingers to Joe’s lips. “You have glitter from my lipstick,” he notes with satisfaction.

“And you bruised quite nicely,” Joe replies. Nicky’s neck is a beautiful wreck of red and purple marks.

“If you keep giving me lovely collars like this, I will be tempted to get you a ring.” Joe just looks at him, entirely unprepared. Nicky’s face creases with concern. “Too much?”

“No! I just… I did not expect to find you last night. It was a bit like looking up at night and seeing the moon light a path I did not expect.”

“You really are too good to be true,” Nicky murmurs.

“I assure you, my flaws are many and true. Just ask my sisters.”

“I look forward to meeting them, and finding these flaws on my own too. Imperfection only improves works of art after all.”

Joe tries to find his words again, and Nicky takes his silence as the compliment it is. Tapping his finger, still hot from the mug, against Joe’s nose, he says, “I think you need more sleep to regain all your words.”

Joe appreciates the out, but looking up at Nicky’s rumpled hair, he reaches for Nicky’s marked neck. “I think we both need a shower. But if we’re going to do that, we should get really messy first, to make the most of it.”

“I’d hate to waste the hot water for no reason,” Nicky says seriously, and Joe can see he’s getting half-hard in his pajama bottoms. “And the bathroom floor will be fully heated in another fifteen minutes.”

“Well, for the sake of heated floors… Wait, are you okay with the food and coffee going cold?”

Nicky cocks his head, bemused. “I can always reheat the food and make more coffee.”

“Alright then, let’s get our phones so we can compare test results, and then we can get debauched.”

Nicky grins. “Let’s.”

And Joe draws Nicky back to bed.

**Author's Note:**

> And you know what happens next! They fall in love. :)
> 
> Additional thoughts about this ‘verse:  
> 
> 
> * Nile is who first taught Nicky to use makeup. The first time she contoured his nose into a new shape, he was both appalled because he likes his nose, but also fascinated by the magic and power of makeup.  
> 
> * Booker slept with Joe the once to figure out if pegging made him a little gay. He knew that’s not how sexuality works, but the thought kept poking at him: since so many of his friends were queer, was he… not straight?  
> 
> * Andy used to be a mercenary and Quỳnh a hostage negotiator. Quỳnh got taken hostage and Andy Die Hard’d to her rescue, only to find Quỳnh had drowned all the men who had water boarded her for months.  
> 
> * I realize with all their jobs/skill sets they’re probably destined to do heists or something...
> 
> Product inspiration:  
> 
> 
> * Nicky’s makeup is Fenty’s Fairy Bomb Body Shimmer and Slip Shine Sheer Lipstick.  
> 
> * Food from Sabrina Ghayour’s Bazaar cookbook.  
> 
> * The book Yusuf’s translating is Nahoko Uehashi’s Beast Player.  
> 
> * The sex pillow and blanket is by Liberator.
> 
> Please comment!


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